What started out as a slight thumping....

[TurboLove]

I have a 08 CTT with 58K miles.  About a 4-6 weeks ago I was accelerating up an on-ramp to the freeway and heard a slight thumping sound originating from the rear. Couldn't exactly tell where it was coming from but it made me wonder is that a problem brewing?  For the past month or so, I'd been driving it normally and didn't necessarily hear it again.

 

Just this past Friday, I was again getting on the freeway and needed to quickly accelerate in order to get around a slow moving car.  At this point, I hear a massive THUMP towards the rear and suddenly I hear all sorts of crazy sounds flying/flapping around under my center arm console.  (I literally looked in my center console to see what was going on) The car still drove but it scared the crap out of me so I just slowed down carefully and was able to drive home (which was about a mile away) and haven't driven it since.

 

I started to look around this forum and the one thing I think it could be is the drive shaft.  Since I'm not mechanically inclined whatsoever, I could use some more help (one of the reasons I love this forum!!)  What else could it be?  

 

As I was driving home the car shifted normally and no lights appeared on the dashboard.  I looked under the car and couldn't really see anything.  I have called a local p-car mechanic and left a message to try and get in tomorrow.   Since the car still drives (now accompanied by a bunch of very crazy flapping and slapping sounds) and the mechanic is about a mile away, could I just gingerly drive it in to him?

 

Thanks in advance for all insights! 

Edited May 17, 2015 by TurboLove

[omolddesign]

_{Sounds like you should check your drive shaft bearing.}

[orthotist]

I'll go with the drive shaft bearing too!

[ARModen]

This is real easy to check.  Put the car in park and then put the suspension in max height mode.  Hold the suspension toggle all the way up for 10 seconds, or so, till the console says that it's locked.  Then you can look under the car right at the drivers door.  Above the exhaust pipes will be the drive shaft.  If you can move it side to side with your hand, then that's probably the problem.  It comes out of the transfer case and goes through the support bracket, then back to the rear differential.  Inside that support bracket is a rubber snubber that wears out.  When that happens, the bearing bangs around against the support bracket.  Here's an article on replacing it:

 

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Porsche-Cayenne/29-SUSPEN-Driveshaft_Bearing_Support_and_Flex_Disc_Replacement.htm

 

Shift the ride height then drive a few feet and it will unlock the suspension again.

[TurboLove]

so far the consensus seems to be the drive shaft bearing.  Is this a pretty straight forward fix? I'm gonna hope to get into my local shop on Monday.  What do parts run approx? much appreciated guys!!

[ARModen]

This thread has some options:

http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic/48322-cardan-shaft-eps-vs-vertex-vs-colorado-drive-shaft/

 

the colorado one is $350 now.  I would check the driveshaft because it could also be a motor mount or such.